A letter sent by Ms. Sierra's family reportedly forgiving the suspect was expected to be read at Tuesday's hearing, though her family wasn't expected to be in the courtroom, the Hurriyet Daily News reported.

"I
was sitting beneath the walls. I had sniffed paint thinner (vapors) and
was high," the private news agency Dogan quoted him as stating in court. "I
approached her and wanted to kiss her. But she hit me with her phone
between my two eyebrows. I pushed her and she fell on the ground," he
said.

Tasali said Sierra fought him back and hit him in the face with a
rock, which made him "totally lose control." He said he then struck
Sierra with a rock.

Questioned about traces of his sperm found over the victim and some of her belongings, Tasali denied rape, Dogan reported. A lawyer for the suspect said he did not believe his client was "capable of
grasping the meaning and results" of his actions.

Ms. Sierra, a 33-year-old mother of two boys from Silver Lake, was vacationing alone in Istanbul when she was reported missing by her family in January.

She was originally supposed to travel with a close friend, but the friend backed out at the last minute, her husband, Steven Sierra, told the Advance at the time of her disappearance.

With the trip already paid for, Mrs. Sierra decided to go alone. She stayed in a hostel and toured the sites, living out her passion for photography as she took pictures of Istanbul's beautiful architecture and scenery.

"She was excited about getting the chance to take pictures there. I was nervous about her going alone from the start, but I wanted to support her," Sierra said. He stayed behind because of work, he said.

During her trip, Ms. Sierra stayed in constant contact with her family through Skype and instant messages. But all contact ended the day before she was to return home, aside from a brief message sent to her sister that read: "I'll be home tomorrow. Yay!".

Ms. Sierra was found bludgeoned to death, her body hidden near city walls, on Feb. 2.

Ziya T. was arrested on March 17.

He was identified as the main suspect in the case after DNA samples taken from his two brothers and a sister matched those found beneath Ms. Sierra's nails.